Page 21 - Science Coursebook

1.7 Fruits

This fruit is shaped like a parachute. The hooks of this fruit catch in The flesh of the apple fruit
It carries the seed away on the wind. the fur of animals and the seeds attracts birds that carry the
are carried off. seeds away by accident.

Activity 1.7B
What affects the time it takes for a fruit to fall to the ground?

Some fruits have wings. These help them to stay in the air,
and perhaps be blown far away from the parent plant.
You can make model fruits using paper. You can use paper
clips to represent a heavy seed.

Plan an investigation to find out how one feature of a

winged fruit affects the time taken for it to fall to the ground.
You could think about your work on the effect of gravity

on objects, to help you to come up with ideas. Make a
prediction about what you think you will find out.

When you have written your plan, check it with your teacher
before doing your experiment.
Record your results clearly, and write down your conclusions.

Evaluate your experiment and suggest how you could
improve it if you were able to do it again.

Questions

A+I 1 The scientific meaning of the word ‘fruit’ is a structure that contains seeds.
Which of these are fruits?
orange mango tomato bean pod potato
2 a Explain what is meant by ‘seed dispersal’.
b Explain why seed dispersal is important for plants.
c List three ways in which fruits can help with seed dispersal.

Summary
• Ovaries develop into fruits after fertilisation.

• Fruits contain seeds.
• Fruits have adaptations to help the seeds inside them disperse to new places.
• Seed dispersal helps to avoid competition with the parent plant.

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